Can I keep (get bigger) legs w/o squats???

[01GT]

I have been doing squats for 6 years and really like the gains they show, but 3 months ago I got an MIR ( I messed up my back doing deadlifts about a year and a half ago and never got it looked at) and it show massive disc degeneration, a bulge on the right side, and bone spurts. Since the MIR, I have been doing squats regularly, but today I felt something go on my left side (pain made me leave the gym) and now am in a lot of pain. I am 22 years old and think my days of heavy squats are over. Has anyone ever had a situation like this? Can I do other exercises to get huge legs? Should I try to do squats at a low weight and incorporate some other heavy exercise with low back stress? BTW the doctor told me I should stop deadlifting and squating.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Vegas]

BTW the doctor told me I should stop deadlifting and squating.

Well, this would be a big hint as to whether you should squat or not. If your doctor says no, you almost certainly shouldn't. Are there other exercises that can build thigh mass? Absolutely. I believe a vet of many boards, In-Human, is/was in a similar situation as your's and is no worse for wear in the quad department. However, before doing anything I would consult with a doctor that is specifically geared towards athletes to see exactly what you can do and what you should avoid. This would take the guess work out of it.

 

[pullinbig]

damn, tough break 01gt

 

[huskyguy]

I would say that unless you are genetically gifted in this area it will definitely be difficult to add mass to your legs w/o squats. If you can do leg press there still is some hope however.

 

[thetopdog]

Squats are the most efficient route to big legs but they are by no means the only route

 

[jes131]

Is an MIR kinda like an MRI?

 

[Deep-Squats]

MIR was a space station.

 

[HIPPIECHICKIE]

what's a bone spurt? Is that like a spur?

 

[ExtremeFighter99]

I have been doing squats for 6 years and really like the gains they show, but 3 months ago I got an MIR ( I messed up my back doing deadlifts about a year and a half ago and never got it looked at) and it show massive disc degeneration, a bulge on the right side, and bone spurts. Since the MIR, I have been doing squats regularly, but today I felt something go on my left side (pain made me leave the gym) and now am in a lot of pain. I am 22 years old and think my days of heavy squats are over. Has anyone ever had a situation like this? Can I do other exercises to get huge legs? Should I try to do squats at a low weight and incorporate some other heavy exercise with low back stress? BTW the doctor told me I should stop deadlifting and squating.
Thanks for the help.

i know exactly how you feel.about two years ago went through basicaly the same thing exept a little worse than yours.felt pain in my back after leg workouts but did nothing to resolve this.than one day all of a sudden i sneezed and pain shot down my leg from my low back.needless to say i couldnt work or get out of bed for 2 days. finally went to the ER and than to my primary who referred me to a neurosurgeon. MRI stated that i ruptured my L5/S1 disc and had disc bulges with L2,3,4 along with degenerative disc disease.the L5 disc compressed on the sciatic nerve so bad that the Dr recommended a lamenectomy and maybe even a spinal fusion.

 

[ExtremeFighter99]

I have been doing squats for 6 years and really like the gains they show, but 3 months ago I got an MIR ( I messed up my back doing deadlifts about a year and a half ago and never got it looked at) and it show massive disc degeneration, a bulge on the right side, and bone spurts. Since the MIR, I have been doing squats regularly, but today I felt something go on my left side (pain made me leave the gym) and now am in a lot of pain. I am 22 years old and think my days of heavy squats are over. Has anyone ever had a situation like this? Can I do other exercises to get huge legs? Should I try to do squats at a low weight and incorporate some other heavy exercise with low back stress? BTW the doctor told me I should stop deadlifting and squating.
Thanks for the help.

well i didnot want to have back surgery and went with steroidal injections and painkillers/muscle relaxers.let me tell you,that shit hurt so bad that it made me friggin cry.the Dr basically said never again would i squat or deadlift.so after about 2 weeks i started outpatient therapy focusing on releiving pressure on the nerve and disc, gainig ROM,and most importantley

 

[ExtremeFighter99]

well i didnot want to have back surgery and went with steroidal injections and painkillers/muscle relaxers.let me tell you,that shit hurt so bad that it made me friggin cry.the Dr basically said never again would i squat or deadlift.so after about 2 weeks i started outpatient therapy focusing on releiving pressure on the nerve and disc, gainig ROM,and most importantley

CORE STRENGTH.did this about three months along with massage and let me tell you it made all the difference in the world.i even started back squating when i had enough flexibility(able to almost touch my toes) from all the stretching and strenghtning i did.went back to the Dr for a follow up and once again asked me about surgery he than gave me a manual muscle test and couldnt belive the progress i made.when i told him that i went back to deads and squats(light) he said that there was nothing he could say.he told me to stick with it and above all be smart about things.you see, the degenerative disc that you have is basically arthritis and there is nothing you can do about that.but i belive in the powers of core strength thrrough healing

 

[ExtremeFighter99]

and the kicker to all this is i do out-patient orthopaedic and neurological post and pre-operative therapy/rehab.even to this day i still have some back discomfort but no,pain inn the legs or any thing like i felt before.listen to the Dr, go seek rehablitive treatment and be smart about things take a break,heal and when its time, slowly build your poundages and reps/ROM back up over time.

 

[Ponderosa]

back pain is a bitch. search the other threads, including at least one i started on the topic about 2 months ago. basically, it all depends on your condition. from the sounds of it, there's hope. but you'll have to do your stretches, exercises and anti-inflam meds religiously. even then, heavy squats are probably not in your cards.

 

[putin]

I have been doing squats for 6 years and really like the gains they show, but 3 months ago I got an MIR ( I messed up my back doing deadlifts about a year and a half ago and never got it looked at) and it show massive disc degeneration, a bulge on the right side, and bone spurts. Since the MIR, I have been doing squats regularly, but today I felt something go on my left side (pain made me leave the gym) and now am in a lot of pain. I am 22 years old and think my days of heavy squats are over. Has anyone ever had a situation like this? Can I do other exercises to get huge legs? Should I try to do squats at a low weight and incorporate some other heavy exercise with low back stress? BTW the doctor told me I should stop deadlifting and squating.
Thanks for the help.

Well, not to sound like a dick but thats what can happen when you put a shit load of weight and that weight will go down to your spine as it's your main support. That's why I never do deads, just a lot of isolation shit.

 

[putin]

I would say that unless you are genetically gifted in this area it will definitely be difficult to add mass to your legs w/o squats. If you can do leg press there still is some hope however.

Sure you can, he can do leg extentions for 1hour and that will make his legs grow. Then he can do leg curls and other shit like that.

Try it out, do leg extentions for 1hour and nothing else and you'll be done.

 

[MrMondo]

In-Human was referenced earlier for a back problem.

I too have had 3 surgeries on my lower back and can tell you from experience that you can DEFINATELY get big legs without squats.

 

[putin]

In-Human was referenced earlier for a back problem.

I too have had 3 surgeries on my lower back and can tell you from experience that you can DEFINATELY get big legs without squats.

That's what I'm saying. Isolation shit will work wonders, and less injury to tendons and shit. Also easy on the back.


And what kind of a dipshit gave me red for my comments? Whoever it is is chickenshit.

 

[pretty ricky]

yo had some similar stuff.ruptured two disk L4-5 and also have ddd.look get to the doc.follow his rules.get you some anti-inflamatory steroids and all the re hab stuff you can stand.be smart and you can get back to squatting and deads.take it from me i'm just now going back heavy with those movements i'm almost all the way back and it was over 2 yrs ago.be smart and you can do it.